UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE USACONSISTORY OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONSPRESS RELEASE

Council of Bishops of the UOC of the USA Issues Statement on the Boston Marathon Terrorist Attack

It is painful to be sitting down once again to reach out to the victims of terror in our great nation of the United States of America. Once again we view the agony on the faces of victims, survivors and family members of both, repeatedly shown on our television sets and our computer screens and we are compelled by Christian Love to convey to them our deepest sympathy. Although the number who were killed was relatively small, there are still many more in critical condition and hundreds more with less serious – physical, that is – injuries.There are many more – perhaps very seriously injured emotionally and psychologically, who will need our continued prayers and comfort over the days, weeks and months or even years ahead, to help them deal with consequences forced upon them by forces completely beyond their control.

All this comes during the Boston Marathon, an annual affair held on Patriot’s Day in Massachusetts, commemorating the “shot that was heard around the world” igniting the Revolutionary War, which ended in the independence of our United States of America – a great holiday for all people in New England and America. Perhaps among the saddest of twists about the terrorism of this day was that the Marathon was being run in memory of the victims of the last act of terrorism we experienced no so very long ago – the slaughter of 26 teachers and innocent students at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newton, CT. There were 26 seconds of silence prior to the start of the marathon and the last mile of the run was dedicated specifically to those 26 victims. It was in this mile that the terror of 15 April was perpetrated.

We extend our most sincere sympathy to the family members of the three victims whose lives were taken away by senseless and profitless actions of cowardly people. We offer prayers for the victims who slowly recover from injuries physical, mental, emotional and even spiritual – especially during the first hours and days to come. May our God – Who is LOVE – embrace them all with the warmth of His Spirit, enabling them to not lose hope and faith that life will, indeed, once again become better. Perhaps it will never be the same, but the God of Love will teach them how to cope.

One of the miracles and/or most positive consequences of the horrible acts of terrorism we have endured in recent times is the drawing together of people who never knew each other before. How unbelievably beautiful it is to see so many people reaching out to be of assistance to those who suffer and then to see the victims themselves and members of their families – all very normal and unassuming people – come forth as leaders in campaigns to make our nation and our people more safe.

In behalf of all the clergy and faithful of our Holy Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, we express our love and solidarity with those who have suffered and died and those who have become more than they ever thought they could be in terms of service to fellow man. Perhaps terror has more of a positive effect than the negative one the perpetrators were hoping for…

In our Lord’s All-encompassing Love,

+ ANTONY + DANIELBy the Grace of God, Metropolitan By the Grace of God, Bishop

Given this 16th Day of April 2013 – Tuesday of the 5th Week of Great Lentat the Metropolia Center of St. Andrew, South Bound Brook, NJ